Heat-dissipating fan structure able to dispaly representation

ABSTRACT

A heat-dissipating fan structure able to display a representation includes a fan body and a plurality of images. The fan body includes a socket and a fan. The fan is pivotally connected to the socket and has a hub and a plurality of blades. Each of the blades is connected to the hub and respectively to a positioning structure. The images are respectively attached onto the blades in a manner to be positioned with the assistance of the positioning structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a heat-dissipating fan able to display a representation, and more particularly to a heat-dissipating fan which has a plurality of blades and has at least one predetermined representation formed by means of the rotation of the blades.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional heat-dissipating fan only offers a heat-dissipating function due to its physical configuration. When such a fan is mounted in a computer host or another similar device that needs heat dissipation, its stiff appearance has neither an esthetical effect, nor visually enhances the product upon which it is mounted. Therefore, there is a need for a heat-dissipating fan structure that is brings more pleasure to its users, in addition to its inherent functions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a heat-dissipating fan structure able to display a representation, wherein images can be precisely attached onto the blades more easily with the assistance of positioning structures on the blades. Furthermore, the rotation of the blades with images thereon creates a predetermined representation due to the effect of visual persistence.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a heat-dissipating fan structure in which the blades are easily positioned, with the assistance of the positioning structures, by users themselves who thereby enjoy making hand-made pieces. Furthermore, the presence of the images adds an aesthetical effect to the fan structure.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a heat-dissipating fan structure in which the user can be informed of the working status of the fan structure by noticing changes in the representation as a reaction to the rotation of the blades having the images thereon.

A heat-dissipating fan structure able to display a representation includes a fan body and a plurality of images. The fan body includes a socket and a fan. The fan is pivotally connected to the socket and has a hub and a plurality of blades. Each blade is connected to the hub and respectively to a positioning structure. The images are respectively attached onto the blades in a manner to be positioned with the assistance of the positioning structure.

The fan structure of the present invention provides an esthetic effect over the prior art, thereby increasing the value of the fan structure. Furthermore, when the fan structure malfunctions, the user can easily be aware of the problem by noticing the change in the representation because of the rotation, or lack thereof, of the blades.

To provide a further understanding of the present invention, the following detailed description illustrates embodiments and examples of the present invention, this detailed description being provided only for illustration of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a fan structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a respective view of a fan structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a fan structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fan structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fan structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Wherever possible in the following description, like reference numerals will refer to like elements and parts unless otherwise illustrated.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a fan structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a fan body 10 and a plurality of images 20.

The fan body 10 includes a socket 11 and a fan 12. In this embodiment, the socket 11 has a rectangular shape. The fan 12, which can be made of a transparent material, has a hub 121 and a plurality of blades 122. The fan 12 is pivotally mounted in a middle of the socket 11. The blades 122 are mounted around the hub 121 and each of them has a positioning structure 123. The positioning structure 123 can be integrally formed with its corresponding blade 122. In this embodiment, the positioning structure 123 can be, but is not limited to, a positioning line or a notch close to at least an external periphery of one of the blades 122.

The images 20 can have text, patterns or textures printed thereon. In this embodiment, the images 20 are stickers or other printed products with the same colors and sizes.

The images 20 are respectively attached onto their corresponding blades 122, in a manner so as to be positioned with the assistance of the positioning structure 123. The location of each image 20 relative to its attached blade 122 is significantly the same as the location of other images disposed on other blades. All the images 20 can be arranged in a circle, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

When the fan body 10 is actuated, rotation of the blades 122 creates an illusion that temporarily appears in a human's eyes due to visual persistence. That means that the blades 122 create a dynamic representation running in a circular manner and providing a predetermined visual effect.

FIG. 3 shows a heat-dissipating fan structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The fan structure of the second embodiment is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, except for the following features.

The blades 122 are made of opaque material. The images 20 are made of light-reflective material and are respectively attached onto the blades 122 at positions in different radial directions. The images 20 have different lengths, according to varying widths of the blades 122, and are arranged in spiral form, so that continuously rotating and light reflecting lineal patterns are created while the blades 122 are rotating.

FIG. 4 shows a heat-dissipating fan structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The fan structure of the third embodiment is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, except for the following features.

The positioning structure 123 is a positioning line or notch that extends from the external peripheries of the blades 122 to the hub 121. The images 20 can be stickers disposed in stripped patterns and each strip of the stripped pattern is of different colors from each other. The images 20 are respectively attached onto the blades 122 in a manner to respectively align with the corresponding positioning structures. A second image 30 formed by a plurality of centric circles is attached onto the hub 121, and those circles have colors matching the images 20 so that a predetermined pattern with a predetermined color composition is formed while the blades 122 are rotating.

FIG. 5 is a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fan structure of the fourth embodiment is almost the same as that of the third embodiment, except for the following features.

The positioning structure 123 can be a trench (not shown) corresponding to the outlines of the images 20. One trench can be formed on at least one of the blades 122 for at least one of the images 20 to be precisely attached inside the trench(es).

The images 20 (stickers or printed products) can be packed with the fan body 10. The stickers or printed products are respectively attached in a manner in which the positioning structures 123 are used for the images 20 to align with and thereby be positioned onto the blades 122 so as to add aesthetical effect to the fan structure and allow users to enjoy making hand-made pieces.

Therefore, the images 20 of the fan structure according to the present invention can be precisely located onto the blades 122 with ease by using the respective positioning structures 123. Furthermore, due to the effect of visual persistence, the images 20 on the blades 122 form a predetermined representation while the blades 122 are rotating. The images 20 can be manually attached on the blades 122 by the user who can thereby enjoy the fun of making hand-made pieces.

Furthermore, if the fan malfunctions, the user will be made aware that the fan has stopped working as soon as he or she notices the images 20 change. Thereby, any damage to the computer host or related devices is prevented because of unduly high temperature being generated by improper operation of the fan.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above description is only illustrative of specific embodiments and examples of the present invention. The present invention should therefore cover various modifications and variations made to the herein-described structure and operations of the present invention, provided they fall within the scope of the present invention as defined in the following appended claims. 

1. A heat-dissipating fan structure able to display a representation, the fan comprising: a fan body, comprising a socket and a fan, wherein the fan is pivotally connected to the socket and has a hub and a plurality of blades, each of the blades being connected to the hub and respectively to a positioning structure; and a plurality of images, respectively attached onto the blades in a manner to be positioned with the assistance of the positioning structure.
 2. The fan structure of claim 1, wherein a second image is further attached onto the hub.
 3. The fan structure of claim 1, wherein the fan is made of a transparent material or an opaque material.
 4. The fan structure of claim 1, wherein the positioning structure is a positioning line or a notch.
 5. The fan structure of claim 1, wherein the positioning structure is a trench on one blade that corresponds to one image on that blade.
 6. The fan structure of claim 1, wherein the positioning structure is a structure integrally formed with one blade.
 7. The fan structure of claim 1, wherein the images are stickers or printed products.
 8. The fan structure of claim 1, wherein the images are made of light-reflective material.
 9. The fan structure of claim 1, wherein the images are arranged in a spiral form.
 10. The fan structure of claim 1, wherein the images are texts, patterns or textures. 